“Speed is the biggest killer on our roads contributing to about 40 per cent of all road deaths in NSW last year,” he said. “If you choose not to follow the speed limit you put yourself and everyone else at risk.” Driving tired is the second biggest killer. “Crashes due to tiredness are twice as likely to be fatal simply because drivers who are asleep can’t brake,” Mr Carlon said.

Every year the NSW Centre for Road Safety invests $14.5 million into the Enhanced Enforcement Program, a partnership with NSW Police that pays for extra high visibility police operations to tackle offences such as speeding, drink and drug driving.

While the drink driving rate has decreased through Random Breath Testing and education campaigns, drink driving still remains a cause of trauma on the state's roads, with the death toll higher in regional areas.

Young people face many challenges when learning the complex task of driving and because they are inexperienced, they also face a higher risk of danger, Mr Carlon said.

He said that was why young drivers were over-represented in road crashes, with 100 lives lost last year involving a young driver aged 17 to 25.

Mr Carlon said changes were recently made to the the NSW Graduated Licensing Scheme to reduce the number of youth-related crashes.

“[Since its inception in July, 2000] there has been a 50 per cent reduction in the number of young drivers aged 17 to 25 killed on NSW roads.”